Lengthy, abstract homilies are "a disaster," so preaching should be limited to 10 minutes, Pope Francis said.

VANCOUVER – By the time Fr. Justin Huang stands before St. Anthony of Padua Church on a Sunday morning, he has done 10 hours of preparation and written about seven drafts of what he’ll say.

The life of Saint Paul, characterized by preaching, persecutions and prayer, can be a model for all Christians today. That was the theme of Pope Francis’ homily at his Santa Marta Mass on Thursday morning.

Dissatisfaction with homilies is the most common complaint Catholics have about their priests, even leading many to skip Mass, according to Canadian and American surveys. Clerics themselves pinpoint uninspiring sermons as a general flaw among their colleagues. The main weaknesses they cite are poor delivery, superficial content and a disconnect from the lives of people in the pews. 

VATICAN CITY - A homily at Mass is not a mini catechism class, the Vatican says in a new document on homilies, but it is an opportunity to explain Church teaching using the Scripture readings and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

TORONTO - Perfecting the art of preaching is all about patience in preparation, says a homiletics professor.